Controller



H. R. MEYER.

CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2 1919 1,355,497. Patented 0 1;.12,1920.

f? .2. a 2' F 7 I 16a 17a IW/ m WITNESSES: 15 5 f7 10,}[1 INVENTOR figrzy/i/Wger ATT'ORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY R. MEYER, OF VVILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLER.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R.

citizen of the United States, and

f I'Vilkinsburg, in the county of and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to controllers of the drum type and has particular reference to means for preventing flashover between controller segments.

In the prior art, it has been customary to provide various types of barriers or flashpreventing devices between adjacent contact segments on drum controllers. Such barriers generally comprised insulating members that were screwed upon the drum surface or fastened in notches or recesses by glue. However, such barriers have been unsatisfactory by reason of size, expense or unreliability.

One object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive barrier member between drum controller segments that may be readily assembled and secured in position.

More specifically stated, it is the object of my invention to provide a flash barrier comprising two duplicate sectorial members fitted in a notch around the drum surface, and binding means for the barrier in the form of a wire having soldered ends and located within a peripheral groove in the barrier members.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, and Fig 2 a view, in side'elevation, of a barrier member constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view, corresponding to Fig. 2, showing the barrier in position upon a drum controller;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. l and Fig. 2, the structure here shown comprises a pair of duplicate sectorial flat members 1 and 2, preferably of molded material, fitting together along a diametrical line, as indicated at 3 and 4. A central semi-circular opening 5 MEYER, a a resident Allegheny Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1920. Serial No. 328,004.

is provided in the member 1, and a similar registering opening 6 is cut in the other member 2. A internal notches and 8 are provided for certain locking purposes to be set forth. F or the purpose of binding the parts of the barrier together, a peripheral V-shaped groove 9 running around the edges of the barrier is adapted to receive a small number of turns of a wire 10, the ends of which are soldered after the barrier is located in position on the drum, as indicated at 11. In this way. a compact, rigid and neat appearing barrier, that is free from the screws or glued parts of the prior art, is provided.

referring to the remaining figures, a drum controller body 15 has mounted upon it a plurality of contact strips or segments 16 and 16 located opposite each other, 17 and 17 of a similar character, and 18, of a length corresponding to the two segments 1'?" and 17. A peripheral notch 19 runs around the drum body 15 and is adapted to receive the flash barrier members. However, it will be understood that the particular form or length of the contact segments 17, 17 and 18 is immaterial to the present invention, the function of the barrier members being to prevent flashing or arcing between adjacent contact members that are adapted, during controller operation, to be energized at materially different potentials.

The drum surface is further provided with a pair of oppositely-located longitudinally-extending notches 20 and 21 within which insulating rods or bars 22 are secured by frictional engagement. The upper bar 22 fits underneath the bridging contact segment 18, while, between the confronting ends of the contact segments 16 and 16 and also 17 and 17 a plurality of lugs or blocks 24 are secured to the outer surface of the bar 22 for the purpose of providing a smooth approach or path between the contact segments in question. In this way, the cooperating control fingers (not shown) are prevented from lodging between the con fronting ends of the contact segments and thus tending to set up excessive wear or burning of the various contact members.

A further function of the bars 22 is to rotatively lock the flash barrier members in position. It will be noted that the longitudinal notches 20 and 21 in the drum surface are not so deep as the bar- 22, where pair of oppositely located 2 are fitted 'into position, as

by a certain portion of the bar extends beyond the surface of the circumferential drum notch-19. The notches 7 and 8 in'the' The method of assembly of my flash barrier may be briefly .set forth as follows. After the insulating bars 22 are secured in position,

determined by the notches 7 and 8 and the longitudinal bars 22. The bindingwire 10 is then wound tightly around the barrier members within the peripheral groove 9, and the ends of the wire. are soldered together, as indicated at 11, to'rigidly position the barrier halfmembers. I

I do not wish to be restricted to the specific structural details or arrangement of parts herein set forth, as various modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I limitations shall be" imposed upon my invention as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Means for preventing fiashover between drum-controller segments comprising a plurality of members fitted around the drum surface and peripherally located securing means therefor.

2. A flash-barrier for drum controllers comprising a plurality of sectorial members and means for fastening the sectors together.

3. Means for preventing fiashover between drum-controller segments comprising a plurality of members fitted around the drum surface and single binding means therefor.

4:. Means for preventing flashover between drum-controller segments comprising a plurality of duplicate members fitted around the drum surface and single binding means therefor.

5. Means for preventing fiashover between drum-controller segments comprising a pair of duplicate sectorial members fitted around the drum surface and single peripheral binding means for said members.

the duplicate barrier halves l and.

desire, therefore, that only such 6. A flash-barrier for drum controllers comprising plurality ofsectorial members fitted around the drum' surface andhaving a peripheral groove, andblnding means located in said groove.

. 7 A flash-barrier for drum controllers comprising a plurality of sectorial mem bers of molded material fitted around the contact segments located on opposite sides 'ofsaid notch, of. a pair of'complementary barrier members fitted into said notch, and

peripherally located securing means therefor; r 9. The combination with a drum controller having a circumferentlal notch, and

contact segments located on opposite sides.

of said notch, of a pair of complementary barrier members fitted into'said notch, and

single binding means therefor.

'10. The combination with a drum controller having a circumferential notch, and contact segments located on opposite sides of said notch, of a pair of complementary barrier members fitted into said notch and having a peripheral groove, and binding means located in said groove. j

11. The combination with a drum cone troller having a circumferential notch, and contact segments located on opposite sides of said notch, of a pair of complementary barrier members fitted into said notch, peripheral binding means therefor, and means for preventing rotative movement of the barrier members. a

12. The combination with a drum con- 7 troller having a circumferential notch, and

HARRY R. M YE day of Sept. 

